Cats

[SilverLining]

DS seems to be getting more and more sensitive to cats.  It's always been bad.

The past two weekends he has visited people that have cats.  Both times he took benedryl before going.  Both times he not only ended up with red itchy eyes, stuffy nose, but also hives.

Hives from cats?  This is new for him....is it normal?

Both times he had to take more antihistamine, and still wasn't comfortable.  Came home and jumped directly into the shower.

In the spring when cats are shedding, I expect worse symptoms...but it's fall.  Does this mean spring would be worse?

Can a cat allergy cause anaphylaxis?

[Macabre]

Hives from cats---oh yes. And for me, asthma, swollen eyes, runny nose.  It depends on the cat, the house, and how full my enviro allergy cup is.

So I typically have several body symptoms going, but I've never thought about that as anaphylaxis. But I would say that it could get bad and need to be addressed in the same way anaphylaxis is addressed. I've had Epi for asthma many times as a child.

I've seen a medical journal article about horse allergy anaphylaxis.

[SilverLining]

He does not have asthma.

When he was grade 5 I suspected it.  Not really definite signs, but enough for me to take him to the GP, and enough for him to say "I don't think so....but let's get him tested." Specialist said the same thing...didn't think he had asthma, but signs that meant he should be tested.  Test said no...not asthma.

Since then, the signs I was seeing are no longer there.  Maybe because we are more aware of his allergies and have been more careful about them.

~~~

Your enviro allergy cup comment makes sense.  DH was recently commenting that Ds has been coughing a lot.  He was thinking DS is catching something....but he's walking to school, and when the grass is growing so much, the mold in it is usually active too.

I want Howie's bubble.

[Macabre]

Ragweed is bad this year.

Even before I had asthma I wheezed around cats.

FWIW cats shed dander all the time. Now dander may be more of a problem in the fall when they are shedding their summer coats and in the spring when they are shedding their winter coats, but the dander is there all the time.

I wish I didn't have a cat allergy. It really affects my social life--where I go, what I do/don't do. With my husband's job and even my job, I need to be able to go in people's homes. But I really try to avoid that if they have animals--especially cats. The routine of cleaning me, my clothes, my car is a big deal.

We have leather seats in our cars for this reason. We have as much leather furniture as possible in our house for this reason. I have to be able to wipe off furniture if someone comes over who has a cat--after they leave of course.

I had an issue like that this weekend--itchy, swollen eyes, hives from sitting near but not on the same piece of furniture in my home from someone who had been somewhere there is a cat. This was in my home. And I didn't hug him or even shake hands.  I showered before going to bed. DH showered.

Speaking of hugging, this stupid allergy totally affects that. I have to keep hugging in mind when intel pick out clothes for church--to make sure I can easily wash it.

[twinturbo]

It irks me when I report hearsay but wrt to possibility but, yes, I've known one kid anaphylactic to an animal's dander.

[CMdeux]

It depends on the cat, the house, and how full my enviro allergy cup is.


I think that is probably youir answer, Silver.


It may not be that he's truly more sensitive as a global thing== just that for right now he seems to be.  Impending illness, ragweed pollen levels (which ARE exceedingly bad this year for most of y'all); that kind of thing.


I'm just sad that you can't enjoy the peculiar affections of a furry tart like the Tortoiseshell one seated next to me. 

[Macabre]

See, I'm not sad about that at all (like I'm not sad we can't have peanut butter either). I'm not even sad about not having another rabbit. It not having a dog. I honestly don't want to deal with another creature's poop or fur.  Really.

What makes me sad is the human social interaction that is missed.

[SilverLining]

It irks me when I report hearsay but wrt to possibility but, yes, I've known one kid anaphylactic to an animal's dander.

I appreciate knowing.  I have always assumed the cat allergy was just a pita.  But, it's looking worse.  Looking, but as stated by someone else...not necessarily IS worse.  He did have that really severe reaction early June 2008.  His face was swollen for almost three days...went down enough that it didn't show up in the wedding pictures.

as far as I know, he's not allergic to ragweed.  But he definitely has an allergy to mold...extreme reactions to that, and grass mold is active spring and fall.  I never realized cats shed in the fall. 

Do you think people would just shave there cats for him?  They are indoor cars.  I'll knit them sweaters.

[Macabre]

I believe cats actually shed all the time like we do and like dogs do. But they get rid of their winter/sunmer coats and there is a LOT more shedding.

But it's not the fur. It's the dander. And for some people saliva.

[CMdeux]

 

Different cats = different amounts of Fel d1 protein, too.  Some cats seem to make almost none at all.  We've had a Maine Coon and now our older Tortie, both Med-long haired, who bother almost none of our cat-allergic friends.  The Maine Coon seems to have been almost hypoallergenic naturally.  (I don't say that lightly, either-- but we've had someone nearly as cat allergic as Mac actually IN our house for a few hours without them even noticing that we HAD a cat.)

The two younger short-haired cats DO shed considerable Fel protein, though-- they both bother our friends with cat allergy much more.

[twinturbo]

I vote for naked cats.

[CMdeux]

Well, that goes without saying.

But that is because I live with cats, and I understand that their very nature calls out for that kind of shaming.  They'll have deserved it for SOMETHING, after all.   



(JK.  Kinda.  Not about the deserving it part... but definitely about the shaving.  Cats just don't appreciate handknits the way that they should.  Well, they don't really appreciate ANYTHING quite the way that they should, come to that... and now, we're right back to shaming...)

[twinturbo]

I love it when people turn their cats into angry naked satellite dishes. The look of murderous rage on them is adorable.

[rebekahc]

Fluffy cats are always better for me allergy-wise.  The shorter and slickier the fur the worse.  I've had allergic reactions to cats that had it been peanuts, I would have epi'd.  With cats, I just leave the environment.  Once I've showered and washed clothes, etc., I'm usually ok with elevated "hayfever" type symptoms for a few days afterward.

[SilverLining]

DS was convinced it was the colour that he was allergic to.  Black & white cat = allergic reaction.  orange cat = no reaction.  Even just a year ago, he was going to a friend's home and he said he didn't need benedryl because her cat is orange.  Guess what.  He's allergic the THAT orange cat.  It was actually a more logical thought then it may seem.  This is the same child who would vomit when he saw a specific shade of green.  Anyway, if seems fluff balls don't cause a reaction.

And MC, I know it's the dander, but I think more falls off when they are shedding.

Although...a stray cat hair lodged in ds' clothing has seemed to cause a reaction.